SINISTER SUCCESSES.
When the old men, Jenvie and Hamlin, reached their homes that evening and
learned what had transpired during the day, they were dumfounded. Hardly
tasting any dinner, Hamlin arose from the table and sought the house of
Jenvie. He met Jenvie at the door who was just going out to find Hamlin.
They went at once to Jenvie's library, and when Jenvie motioned Hamlin to
a seat and took another himself, it was a long time before either spoke.
At last Hamlin said: "A bad business, Jenvie."
"I do not see how it could be worse," was the reply.
"I am too confused to think," said Hamlin.
"We got Jack's money from him, and yet he and Rose are married, and it
seems with Rose's mother's full consent," said Jenvie.
"And a stranger of whom we know almost nothing has married Grace and left
her at the church door, and it was with her mother's full consent, also,"
said Hamlin.
"And neither you nor myself is in a position to complain; I have not the
courage to even storm about it," said Jenvie.
"Nor have I," responded Hamlin. "I did not intend to keep Jack's money. I
wanted to break off his engagement, and then offer him a little fortune
if he would marry Grace."
"I was determined that he should not marry Rose, even if I had to rob him
to prevent it. Curses on him! He knocked me senseless while he was yet a
mere boy. And now he has given me a harder blow. He has stolen Rose from
under my spectacles, married her, pauper that he is, and gone to
housekeeping."
"What shall we do?" asked Hamlin.
"Look here," said Jenvie, "this move is that American's who has married
your daughter. He is more subtle than Jack. He has engineered this
business. But I cannot fathom it. Why should he have left his bride
at the church door and gone off to America?"
"I think I can understand that," said Hamlin. "While Jack has made his
£100,000, Sedgwick made a little more than £20,000. He left that with his
father to buy a farm in the States, and came with Jack merely as a lark.
"I think he has gone for as much of that as may be left, and that before
a month he will return, and will back Jack in a suit to recover from us
Jack's money."
"Why, what can they hope to recover by a suit?" asked Jenvie. "If mining
stocks are offered to a man and he buys them, and they do not turn out
well, whose loss ought it to be? Then we sold nothing. It was Stetson who
did the business."
"But," said Hamlin, "if a man is induced by false representations to buy
wild-cat shares, and he seeks recourse through our English courts, will
he not recover?"
"I made no special representations," said Jenvie.
"That will not answer," said Hamlin. "You made enough representations;
so did I. It was a direct swindle, and I did my part intending to make
restitution. This business has practically destroyed the peace of our own
homes. My wife never gave me a look of thorough contempt until to-day."
"Neither did mine," said Jenvie. Then there was a long silence.
At last Jenvie said: "Hamlin, there is but one thing to do. We must go
to Jack to-morrow, good-naturedly chide him and Rose for being married
without our knowledge, each carry a present, and as soon as possible
settle with Jack, and get his receipt in full, before the return of that
American devil that tumbles bulls, and might trip two old John Bulls like
you and me."
"I agree to that," Hamlin responded. "We can tell him that bad news from
the mine has decided us not to go on with the mill building; that we will
help bear the loss of the first investment, and tender him back £25,000.
He will not only be glad to settle with us for that, but will feel
grateful to us."
So it was agreed that they should go at noon of the succeeding day.
They each next morning purchased a valuable present, and repaired to
Jack's house.
They were shown in, and their cards sent to Browning.
The servant returned in a moment and said: "Mr. Browning is engaged, and
declines seeing the gentlemen."
They went out incensed, but with such a mixed feeling of anger, chagrin,
self-abasement, and apprehension as they had never experienced before.
A day or two later Hamlin met Mrs. Browning face to face on the street.
He rushed up to her with a joyful cry of "O Rose!" whereupon she drew her
skirts around her so that they would not touch him, and walked by.
Not long after, Jenvie met Browning and addressed him joyously. Jack
looked him steadily in the face for a moment and then walked on.
These were unhappy days for the old men. Something had fallen on their
homes worse than a funeral, and in their souls the fear of the coming of
Sedgwick became a perpetual haunting specter before their eyes. Stetson
joined in their apprehensions, and then he realized besides that if he
had ruined Jack, still Jack had married Rose.
But as the days grew into weeks, they began to have hope. They made two
or three investments that gave them quick returns and large profits.
Success begets confidence. The men on change began to look upon them as
rising bankers; deposits increased heavily, and so many enterprises were
offered them to promote, that, without using a dollar of their own means,
their commissions began to be enormous.
"We are on the rising tide," said Jenvie.
"Indeed we are," said Hamlin. "If the suit comes now, we can settle
without any business or domestic scandal."
"It is nothing to make money when a man once
gets a start," said Jenvie, "but I would be glad to be
fully reconciled with my wife and child."